Promotion: the rising cost of funerals

With costs rising almost 40% since 2011, it's more important than ever to have a funeral plan in place, says Legal & General.

None of us like to think about funerals, whether it be our own, a friend, or a member of our family.

Worse still, planning for a funeral can be heartbreaking. It’s a sore subject for most, but something which all of us are likely to face at some point in our lives.

Between 2011 and 2017 the average cost of a funeral in the UK rose by 38%, and between 2016 and 2017 alone, costs rose by 4%.

If you are now in the unfortunate position to be planning a funeral, then on average you are likely to pay £4,086.

This amount does change drastically depending on both where you are in the UK, and whether you choose a burial or a cremation, as detailed in a new report from Legal and General.

Cremations are by far the most frequently chosen, with 77% of British funerals going down this route, with the other 23% preferring a burial.

This difference may seem obvious when you consider that the average cost of a cremation in the UK is £3,872, compared to the £4,800 you will pay for a burial.

The most expensive funerals in the UK are in London, where on average you’ll pay £7,700 for a burial or £4,600 for a cremation.

Both of these figures are well above the national average, but even these figures pale in comparison to what you can pay in Enfield, North London, where a burial funeral can cost as much as £13,049.

In 2017, Enfield was also home to the UK’s most expensive cremation funeral at £5,889.

Outside of the capital costs are much more in line with the national average, with some regions being pricier than others.

The most expensive region outside of London is the South East, where burials cost an average of £5,200 and cremations £4,500.

Next is Yorkshire and Humber, where burials cost £5,100 and cremations £4,100, then the West Midlands, with burials at £5,100 and cremations £3,900.

The cheapest funerals in England are found not too far away in the East Midlands, where a burial funeral will cost you £3,900 and a cremation £3,800.

The East Midlands is also the only region in England where both cremations and burials cost, on average, less than £4,000.

The East Midlands’ average burial funeral costs are even cheaper than those in Wales, where a burial will cost you £4,200 and a cremation £3,600.

On the other hand, costs in Scotland are not too far off the UK average, where burials cost an average of £4,600 and cremations £3,800.

Northern Ireland, however, is a completely different kettle of fish.

Not only are burials and cremations the cheapest in the UK, at £3,300 and £3,400 respectively, but it’s the only region in the UK where cremations are more expensive than burials.

This is due to the limited number of crematoria with Northern Ireland and the increased likelihood of a burial funeral.

These costs are made up of two main charges – funeral directors fees and the charge for burial and cremation, which includes transportation of the deceased to the chapel of rest, an opportunity for the family to view the deceased, teak/oak veneer or similar coffin, a hearse, the funeral procession and preparation and care of the deceased.

What they don’t include are additional charges, such as floral tributes and post-funeral gatherings for loved ones.

In this new video from Legal and General, it’s evident that the general public aren’t quite sure of the costs involved.

In 2011 the average cost of a UK funeral was a comparatively low £2,971. If costs continue to rise at the same rate, then it’s expected that by 2024 this cost will balloon to £5,925.

Funeral planning, and especially the costs involved, is not a subject many of us like to think about, but it’s important that we plan ahead.

For more information on funeral costs and what you can do to prepare, visit the Legal and General website.

This is a paid promotion on behalf of Legal and General.